The Master of Her Life
by Elie.N.P
Summary: If she failed to seize that opportunity, she'd fail to live her own life.


**Let's peek a little into Merope's mind. **

**No special warnings, except for the fact I'm not a native English speaker. I hope you'll like it.**

**Enjoy your reading!**

**Elie**

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><p><span>The master of her life<span>

Merope was absent-mindedly gazing by the window, more preoccupied by the raging battle going on between her heart and head, than by the gloomy scenery.

Daughter of Marvolo Gaunt, descendant of Salazar Slytherin, she had a reputation to hold now that her brother and father were away from the house, house she had to keep safe and welcoming for their return, albeit she didn't know when they'd come back – because they would, wouldn't they? It was her duty to be there when that'd happen. Her duty... which went totally against her own desires.

Merope wanted to flee, to escape from that prison her family name was. She wanted to finally be able to call her existence a life worth of such a name for, until now, she considered her life had never really started, her existence having only been a succession of sad, violent and painful events.

Who would dare call it a life? Her father, because he was the one who made it thus, because he was her master, the master of her life.

Yet, her dearest desire was to know what had been kept away from her since birth, what her father had refused to give her – what he was unable to procure her - happiness, love...

Sometimes she wished she was a muggle, or a squib, in both case, either because she'd have had nothing to do with magic, or because her father'd have abandoned her – Marvolo'd have never kept a squib by his side, his own flesh or not, it wouldn't have mattered, he'd have, without a doubt, thrown her out of his house – she'd have had a chance to live a proper life, with its ups and downs, with its sorrow and happiness. Merope would have had a true life.

She had always wished such an opportunity as this one would happen one day. An opportunity to flee without fearing her family might kill her. Oh, Marvolo wouldn't be pleased, and Morfin would certainly go crazy – it wouldn't change much from usual – but she wouldn't be there to witness their wrath, and it'd be too late, when they'd have returned, for them to stop her.

She'd be far away, safe and happy, or relieved at least.

How many times had she hoped it would happen? How many times had she planned her departure? Always, she had been sure she'd leave without regret, without looking back to her prison. However, now that such an opportunity was real, doubts were overwhelming her.

Would she be able to live by herself? Certainly not. Would she be able to find happiness immediately? She wasn't that naïve. But if she failed to seize that chance, there might never be another one.

It was now or never.

She had to overcome her fear. Regrets weren't holding her back, but years spent being told about the importance of her ancestor, about the pride of belonging to such a famous family were.

Her belonging to Salazar Slytherin's descendants was something she wouldn't have thought so hard to disregard.

Perhaps it was her fate, as a Gaunt, to remain in that ruin of a house, to wait for her family to return and to try to keep their pride alive for a little longer.

Happiness might not be available for everybody, for her.

Merope was about to turn away from the window when her eyes caught a move. There, right outside the property, a horseman had come to a halt. A horseman she didn't need to see the face to know who he was, a horseman she'd always recognise. A man who made her heart beat faster, who roused in her a sweet warmth, who made her feel dizzy.

A man, that man, was her happiness.

A determined look appeared on her face. She wouldn't fail to seize that opportunity, her opportunity.

Would her family miss her anyway? Not in the least, then why had she been hesitating?

Quickly, she jumped from her seat by the window and ran to her bedroom. To flee right now would be stupid. There were many things she had to think about, many things to prepare, before she could finally get close to her happiness.

Determined not to let the Gaunt name condemn her to live in fright and sorrow any longer, Merope started, for the first time, to take the matter of her future in her own hands.

Her father and brother could move heaven and earth, they wouldn't destroy her life.

Whatever they could say about it, she was herself a Gaunt, a witch whose knowledge wasn't as weak as they thought.

Merope Gaunt, soon-to-be Merope Riddle, would at last be the master of her own life.

The End.


End file.
